United States Statutes at Large/Volume 3/14th Congress/1st Session/Chapter 75
Chap. LXXV.—An Act for the relief of certain purchasers of public lands in the Mississippi territory.
Further time allowed to certain purchasers of land.Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That every person who, since the first day of April, one thousand eight [hundred] and eleven, and prior to the eighteenth day of June, one thousand eight hundred and twelve, had purchased any tract or tracts of public land in the Mississippi territory, not exceeding in the whole six hundred and forty acres, unless the tract purchased to be a fractional section or sections, or fractional sections classed with an entire section, and whose lands have not already been actually sold or reverted to the United States for non-payment of part or the purchase money, shall be allowed the further time of two years and eight months from and after the expiration of the present period already given by law for completing the payment of the said purchase money; which further term of two years and eight months shall be allowed only on the condition, that all arrears of interest on the purchase money shall have been paid on or before the time shall have expired for completing the payment of the purchase money: Provided,Proviso. That in all cases in which the time for completing the payment of the purchase money may have expired, or shall expire, before the first day of July next, the interest may be paid on or before that day. But in case of failure in paying either the arrears, or the residue of principal with the accruing interest, as is herein provided, the tract of land shall forthwith be advertised and offered for sale, in the same manner, and on the same terms, as is directed by law in case of lands not paid for within the limited term, and shall revert in like manner, if the sum due, with interest, be not at such sale bidden and paid. And in cases where any tract or tracts of land in said territory, not exceeding, in the whole, six hundred and forty acres, unless the tract be a fractional section or sections, or fractional sections classed with an entire section, have, since the first day of October last, reverted to the United States, for default of payment, the original purchaser may again enter the same tract or tracts at the price at which such tract or tracts were originally sold; and all moneys which such original purchaser may have paid shall be replaced to his credit by the receiver of public moneys for the district in which the land may lie, and such re-purchasers shall be allowed the same benefits of the extension of the time of payment created by this act, as through no such reversion had occurred: Provided, That such original purchaser shall make to the proper officer such application for such re-entry as it required by law for the entry of lands on or before the first day of July next, and that the land so reverted shall not have then been previously re-sold.
Approved, April 24, 1816.